One of the oldest structures in the City of Sarnia has received a heritage designation.
Kelly Bell purchased the home at 378 East St. N in December 2020.
Built in 1855, it was originally located at Front Street and Derby Lane before being moved to its existing East Street site in 1946.
Bell said when he purchased the home he was somewhat familiar with its history.
"I didn't know as much about the gentleman that owned it. To me it's not so much the age of the house, the gentleman that owned the house, it's his story," he said.
Bell said when he bought the home, called the Froome Talfourd Cottage, it was in great condition.
The home was named after Froome Talfourd who was a magistrate, commissioner of the court requests, Kent militia lieutenant-colonel and visiting superintendent for local First Nations.
"It needed just a little bit of work, the barn for example was not original," he said. "That would've been built in 1946 when the house moved here. I had to have that re-cladded it was quite rough."
Prior to Bell owning the home it was a rental, then two men bought it and renovated it and then it was owned by another couple.
Bell said he got more information about being designated while in Lambton Mall when the Sarnia Heritage Committee had a temporary storefront.
"Really just out of interest I just feel as though it's nice to have," he said.
Secretary for the Sarnia Heritage Committee Max Williams said designation comes with protection of the property under the Heritage Act.
"It protects it from demolition, protects it overall, so if they want to demolish the property they will have to remove the bylaw, which is a long process they have to go through," he said. "Usually it never happens because designation instills a pride of ownership within the property."
Williams added 28 properties are designated with 13 of them city owned properties.